The History of Hoffer Farm

When Edna Hoffer was just 8 years old, her father’s death left her and her mother facing financial ruin.

In their darkest hour, a friend named Phares Bomberger stepped forward with an extraordinary act of generosity, purchasing the family homestead to ensure that Edna and her mother had a place to call home.

This profound act of kindness, compassion, and generosity left an indelible mark on young Edna’s heart, planting the seeds for what would become her life’s mission of caring for others.

(John Bomberger, son of Phares Bomberger, is center in the photo, courtesy of Bomberger’s Store)

Years later, Edna found herself alongside two kindred spirits, Grace Barto and Esther Henry.

All three were single women of strong faith, each working to provide for themselves while caring for aging parents. United by their shared circumstances and common values, they began dreaming of a different way to approach elder care.

Grace had befriended Esther, who worked at a nearby rest home and understood the challenges of caring for aging loved ones.

Together, these three remarkable women began planning what would become Pleasant View Rest Home.

(From left: Edna Hoffer, Esther Henry, and Grace Barto)

In 1954, construction began on their vision. Land was purchased directly across from the Hoffer Farm in Manheim, creating a connection between Edna’s childhood home and her adult calling.

On June 6, 1955, Pleasant View Rest Home opened its doors to welcome its first residents.

Esther Henry stepped forward to manage the day-to-day operations of the facility, while Edna and Grace worked the land—literally growing the food that would nourish their residents. Hoffer Farm became the heart that sustained their mission, providing fresh fruits and vegetables that graced the dining tables of those in their care.

(The orginal Pleasant View Rest Home)

Even as Pleasant View grew and flourished, Edna never lost her connection to the land that had shaped her.

Later in life, when she became a resident at Pleasant View herself, she continued to mow the property, supervise the farm’s “hired man,” and ensure that residents enjoyed the bounty of in-season produce from her beloved farm.

(Edna Hoffer plants crops on a tractor at Hoffer Farm)

As Pleasant View flourished and evolved over the decades, the original Hoffer farm gradually faded into the background—a beautiful backdrop to the thriving community but no longer central to its daily operations.

In 2023, nearly 70 years after doors first opened, the board, staff, and residents of Pleasant View Communities launched The Heart of Community capital campaign.

Their ambitious vision?

To transform the Hoffer Farm into something Edna herself could never have imagined: a vibrant community center that would extend her legacy of connection and care far beyond the boundaries of traditional senior living.

Construction of the Kreider Farms Cultural Center was completed in 2025, marking the beginning of a new chapter in the Hoffer Farm story.

Today’s vision honors Edna’s legacy while embracing the future.